UKGPL Season 20 (2010-2011) Graduates Cup (67) - Nürburgring (GP) - Nov 7

[miner2049er]

My ping was between 230-260, but the lag of the cars looked more like it was at least 600-700, as if someone was downloading something through the server's connection.

The server is a spare PC used for GPL and nothing else so there was nothing unusual on the server end and all settings were as they normally are for Novices so not too sure what caused the lag, but most said it was only for the first 20 seconds or so.

Sorry Juha, I just lost it under braking when my front left wheel touched the grass there.

Aah so you made a mistake and crashed but want a rerun because of lag? 

The hedges had elluded me throughout off-line practice, but in the race, one snagged my Ferrari on the first lap, deviously.
Then, with a couple of blind apexes missed, I knocked a wheel loose, and valiantly soldiered on in a car that was no longer sure, of what straights were for!

Another 2 laps in a shaky second, and the hedges struck again - inevitably, this time it was race over.

Seems to me, the regulations should allow for a re-run, when this happens.  Grumble!

Sadly the regulations do not allow for re-runs due to driver errors LOL. Good tyr though. 

[bernie]

Sadly the regulations do not allow for re-runs due to driver errors LOL. Good tyr though.   

Would that be a dunlop or firestone tyr 

[vosblod]

Both results now posted, please submit any Incident Reports by close of play Friday.
I note a few drivers have asked for a re-run of the Works race. A re-run is an absolute last resort and only utilised where there has been a major disaster, eg the server locking up on everyone at Riverside.
We cannot just re-run races on the basis the event has been a bit laggy. UKGPL5 has proved to be our most reliable server in recent history (with our donation commercial server) so I cannot see any blame falling there. Mike is very experienced at firing up servers and has already confirmed there was nothing wrong with the settings.
For info I have looked at the server replay and watched the fate of a number of drivers who went out; each and every one I saw went out whilst running solo and cannot claim any kind of warp contact as a factor in their fatal endings. It is not unusual for Nurby to have a high attrition rate eg 15/6/08, 9/5/10.
Under the circumstances the precedent is Imola (which actually was due to an incorrect server setting). This was not declared a re-run and it is noted no one in that race even asked for a one.

Accordingly the results stand as posted pending race moderation.

[Hristo Itchov]

The server is a spare PC used for GPL and nothing else so there was nothing unusual on the server end and all settings were as they normally are for Novices so not too sure what caused the lag, but most said it was only for the first 20 seconds or so.

Sorry Juha, I just lost it under braking when my front left wheel touched the grass there.

Aah so you made a mistake and crashed but want a rerun because of lag?  

I did crash, yes, but it wasn't in the accident with Juha. Besides, my point was that many people's race was compromised because they had to either go off track or slow down immensely because of cars warping around them.

And no, it definitely didn't disappear after 20 seconds, otherwise it wouldn't have been a problem. It was consistent warping all throughout the practice and race, at least until I quit. Maybe those who kept driving until the finish could report if the lag disappeared when some people left the server? I'm trying to identify if it could have been someone causing the server lag, it's a possibility. Perhaps the server replay could tell.

I want to point out that I'm not trying to blame the server and say "sack it", I know very well it's been used for very long and was working great. We should try to identify what the cause of the problem was though, so it can be prevented in the future if possible.

One thing I still worry about is people entering with 60fps patch on and causing any potential problems. If the server settings have been absolutely the same as always, then the reasons are either server end connection (temporary ISP issues perhaps) or a driver causing server-wide problems.

Anyway, as for the race, I could've challenged Tom had I put enough fuel, but it turned out I put fuel for 6 laps instead of 7. This forced me to start short-shifting heavily on the 3rd lap in attempt to save fuel, but that lost me some 5 seconds to Tom and the gap grew up to 10 seconds at the start of the 4th lap.

I decided to push and attack, and worry about saving fuel in the final laps, but that bit me back as I crashed out. The setup wasn't working well for some reason, though there might've been damage after the early collisions with other cars on lap 1.

[BadBlood]

Should have driven like me H - you would have saved plenty of fuel 

[Ronniepeterson]

First up congratulations to the podium guys Bernie, Hannah and Billy. Commiserations to Maddog I thought you would have been up there at the expense of one of the top three. Well done to everyone else who survived longer than me. I picked the Honda because it was the only car I had tested in practice which did not blow its engine. So in the race after a couple of tentative laps IT BLEW UP! Then followed total stupidity from me.  I took a Shift-R and immediately buried myself in a hedge. Race over. Just gotta put it down to experience and look forward to the next one.

[Al Heller]

Firstly congratulations to Tommie on a very well-deserved (first UKGPL?) win - quick, consistent pace from pole to flag with no mistakes  

I supposed this would be more of a battle against the circuit than other drivers, so I just stuck pretty rigidly to my lines & braking points without worrying too much about where I was in the race. I went for quite a conservative setup in the Cooper with high ride height & very long gears so was pleased with 8:20 in qually for 4th on the grid. The start was laggy but for me there weren't any disappearing cars or anyone hopping wildly around the track, though I held back from Juha who looked a bit flickery ahead just in case of warp contact. Clive was piling on the pressure during the opening laps, though thankfully made allowances for my much earlier braking. Once Hristo caught Clive, the Wazas did the ol' Switcheroo but too much Honda mirror-watching led me to run a little wide in one corner which I knew H would pounce on so I was quickly relegated to 4th.

After that, I just concentrated hard on maintaining a consistent pace - Clive dropped back after the jump (bad landing?) & that left quite a big gap to FMG & John. I kept expecting them to appear in my mirrors but only dared take my eyes off the track to look at Prib down the long straight. With such infrequent Prib-checking it took a couple laps before I realised they must have got damage or something as the gap wasn't shrinking but nevertheless I maintained my pace & with both H & Juha retiring ahead I ended up 2nd. Although that matches my runner-up spot in last season's Nurby race, I improved my average laptime by 5 seconds to 8:23.9 & I was in the Brab last time out so at least that represents a bit of progress .

[maddog]

One thing I still worry about is people entering with 60fps patch on and causing any potential problems.

It's not hard to diagnose, if you're accidentally running a 60fps patch, on a 36fps Server.  Every so often, you'll see a visible glitch on the screen.  It all goes snowy for a frame or two.  This is caused by an inaccuracy in the 60's timing, and should be a dead giveaway that you, or someone is too fast, framewise . . . as well as car wise!  Grumble.  I always try to stop by a track on race day, to check that car, track, and peripherals are working correctly, at least to start with.

[b_1_rd]

Well, apart from the first part, for me the lag and warping wasn't too bad.  I had a short while running with a couple of cars and apart from the odd little jump of the car, expected on a non-commercial server,  it was ok.

The event itself was pretty lacklustre again from me, getting a bit tired making up the numbers, hopefully get more performance improvement soon and ignite the spark for this again.

[Hristo Itchov]

OK, then I suspect the bad lag disappeared when someone left the server. I'm going to take a look at the server replay when it's uploaded (or is it already?).

[jhalli]

here is my replay file so you how terrible lag it had,  unforunatelly it ends short after crash with Hristo.

https://www.yousendit.com/download/dklwM25LZy9mVGF4dnc9PQ

[vosblod]

I'm going to take a look at the server replay when it's uploaded (or is it already?).

Uploaded to the usual place; http://www.jamesonline.net/ukgpl/

[Al Heller]

Server was worst at the start but after that calmed down for me too - certainly didn't notice any lag when Clive & H were behind me at the start of lap 2. Does client location have any bearing with these server issues (ie outside UK)?

By the way, I'm confused about the new lap records shown for qually & race. I'm positive Hristo dipped under 8 minutes in last season's race & qualified round that mark too.

[vosblod]

By the way, I'm confused about the new lap records shown for qually & race. I'm positive Hristo dipped under 8 minutes in last season's race & qualified round that mark too.

Good point and it is my fault. When I selected the event I chose Nurburgring (GP) as opposed to (Nordschleife) - there's also another version - so it was pulling up records from a track never used in UKGPL. I think I've managed to fix it (it doesn't actually make any difference in the championship tables etc) and have also changed it for the Amateurs race tonight.

[Hristo Itchov]

The records for 67 show:

7:54.060 - 107.751mph - Mike Prickett - Lotus - Qualfiying

7:40.710 - 110.873mph   - Vinny Kwiker - Ferrari - Race

Both are from 2002, but Vinny's record is obviously not correct, lol. Probably warp time and should be erased from the system.